Dracula Untold: None Shall Separate Us
by Carpathian Rose
Summary: Vlad has found Mirena again. He'd sworn once that neither life nor death would keep them apart. Never again. She had been his in a past life. She would be his again in this next life.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note:

Having seen Dracula Untold, I couldn't resist writing a fic of my own. There was much to be desired with the ending. My mind was making up all kind of scenarios on where Vlad and Mina's new life would take them...so here I am. And I've just seen the movie again today! The movie was good, even if a bit weak. Working on this chapter, I've had to rewrite it over and over because each time it just didn't seem right to me. I'm not exactly sure of what time frame the movie ended in, but it looked modern but writing this story in a completely modern setting just isn't setting with me...so this is not quiet going to be FULL modern. Maybe not as modern as today, but modern enough. I may in-cooperate part of Bram Stokers Dracula, as well. So we'll start from here...so here we go.

Read and enjoy! And remember, your reviews mean the world to me and inspire me to keep this going!

* * *

Chapter One

_Neither this life nor the next would keep them apart._

London buzzed with life, the people flowing around him effortlessly to get to their destination. He had watched as the city had built itself from the ground up. The nightlife was amazing; but that was all he knew. The night.

Mankind...they never ceased to amaze him.

But what stopped him wasn't the allure of loud voices, not even the lure of blood that surrounded him. It was one soft laugh in the surrounding market place that had him pausing in mid-step. One familiar voice that had him turning his head. And there _she _was, just a scant two feet away from him, her fingers trailing over the bouquet of flowers in her hands. Mirena. _Mirena. _Her name whispered through his mind.

The memory of her had haunted him through the years with sorrow. She'd begged him to drink her blood—she'd begged him to kill her—to save their son. He'd gained immortality. Through her selfless act, he'd achieved everything.

She'd died in his arms, her death a bitter sweet taste in his mouth. He remembered the exact words he'd said. _Neither this life nor the next will keep us apart. _

But there she was...everything about her was exactly as he remembered, except the length of her hair.

He lifted his head to the skies. He—_they—_were being given a second chance. Hope. An awareness that they would be together again. Seeing her, he couldn't walk away. There was no chance of that. Elation filled him, a softness he hadn't felt in years. Vlad took that first step towards her, the heels of his shoes nearly silent. His lips curved when he reached her side.

"Beautiful." He said softly, a smile on his lips. And she turned those memorable eyes on him. If his heart hadn't already been dead, it would have stopped beating all over again. He could see himself reaching out to touch her skin, to run his fingertips over the smoothness of her cheek but on the outside he did nothing but smile. When she looked up at him, startled, he added with a nod of his head, "The flowers, my lady."

"

My lady? Where are you from?" She asked with a small laugh.

He chuckled. "A long way from here." Her voice had his smile deepening.

"Well...goodbye." She said in a final farewell and moved around him.

He couldn't let her go; Vlad knew that. She had taken two steps when he spoke. "...why think separately of this life and the next, when one is born from the last?"

She turned to face him again, her soft smile blossoming. "That's my favorite poem."

"It speaks to you of longing, of days gone by."

He returned her smile. He had thought it would be. Had had known it would be. If only she knew that it wasn't Rumi who had spoken those very words. He continued. "...the wolf and the lamb, the lion and the deer—"

"—so far away, yet together." She echoed the ending with him, their voices echoing over each others. There was a soft joy in her expression that touched him. He took in every detail of her face. Beautiful, as he had said before...

She smiled then. "I'm Mina."

Vlad chuckled and reached out with a gloved hand and lifted hers. Bowing over her hand, he curled her fingers into his palm and kissed her knuckles, his eyes meeting hers. "Vlad." He said simply, inhaling her scent. So familiar, so sweet and longing.

Not Mirena. _Mina. _There was no recognition in her eyes, but she was there. This was his Mirena. His Mina. He flipped a silver coin towards the clerk behind her and plucked a red rose from the arrange of flowers. "And a rose for the beautiful Mina on my behalf?"

She gave a soft laugh again, the look in her eyes showing that she was a little shocked at his behavior, but she took the rose. Her fingers brushed his gloved hands. "Thank you..." She said. Her appreciation had his smile deepening.  
_  
_ He held his arm out to her. "If you will allow me to escort you to..." Vlad offered in a teasing manner, anything to see her smile again. He could sense her hesitation, but she placed her hand over his then and he turned in the direction she motioned to.

"Of course...I was meeting a friend for dinner. You may join _us_ if you like..." His Mina let the offer hang in the air between them and he accepted readily. Her 'us' made it clear that they were not going to be alone. He was, after all, a complete stranger.

_But he knew her better than even she knew herself._

"

If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?" She asked from his side. "Your accent, your..." She motioned with her hand towards him, the way he spoke, the way he acted.

"A gentleman?" Vlad offered with an upraised eyebrow. He couldn't help himself. He knew that wasn't what she had been asking, but it was close enough an answer. "Transylvania." He finally said.

"Good God, why would come all the way here?"

Vlad couldn't help himself, he laughed at the sheer shock of her question, the way she spoke it. "Why would I not?" He asked in turn.

"There's so much..." She lifted her hand and motioned towards the buildings and the brick homes lining the streets, the market place. "...surrounding here. But in Transylvania, you have vast lands, mountains..."

He arched an eyebrow. "You prefer the vast lands over the London lifestyle?"

"They are beautiful..."

She didn't answer his question, but Vlad knew none the less. She was his Mirena, of course she would. She belonged there. At his side. _As she had been once before. _

"Once upon a lifetime, I suppose."

_Once upon a lifetime indeed..._

He lifted his head when someone called her name_,_ following the direction of her gaze.

"_Mina!"_

It wasn't hard to miss the woman in question. The red head was baring down on them, waving.

"Lucy." Vlad could hear the emotion in Mina's voice, the envy for the woman approaching; a dear friend. She left his side to embrace the female, each other greeting the other with a kiss to the cheek. The other woman in question, ah yes, _Lucy_, cleared her throat, drawing his attention back to her.

"Now Mina, are you not going to introduce me to your friend?"

Vlad arched an eyebrow; he could sense her peaked interest. He bowed over Lucy's hand and lifted her hand, his lips barely grazing her knuckles. "Vlad. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lucy." He was, after all, still a gentleman and a Prince with manners.

"Oh, but Mina, you do find the most interesting ones." The red head said with a small laugh, fluttering her eyelashes his way.

"There is nothing of interest, of that I assure you, my dear." Vlad said smoothly. His interests would have her running from London in terror.

"You're still welcome to join us if you like..." Mina offered.

"Be it that I could ever say no to such beautiful ladies." He said with a chuckle. He kept to his feet until both Mina and Lucy were seated and then took the opposite seat. There were already wine glasses waiting and he lifted his in a toast in Mina's direction. "Cheers."

She echoed his move but frowned. "To what?"

"To second chances." He meant every word, though they were few. He knew she didn't understand the sentiment. She didn't need to; he did.

"Yes...to second chances." Lucy mimicked, lifting her own class.

The stench of the wine filled his nostrils and while the women across from him took a sip, he lowered his. His eyes flickered over Mina's face. She was a delight to behold. She spoke animatedly, laughing over something Lucy said. He remembered when they had done this very thing and the background behind her faded in his minds eye, forming into a stoned wall and Mina stared back at him, long hair twisted over her shoulder as she spoke his name, laughing...

_"And how are you and Jonathan? Has he proposed yet?"_

"_No...he's away and we haven't—"_

The wine glass in his hand shattered.

Vlad looked down to see his hand clenched into a fist. Blood seeped from between his closed fingers from where he'd suddenly held the wine glass too tight. He barely noticed the fleeting pain. He opened his hands and broken shards of glass clattered to the floor and the women gasped. Before Mina could reach for his hand, he was closing it into a fist again and standing.

"I'm quiet alright, I assure you..." He murmured, and though the blood stained his palm, he already knew the cuts were healing. What Lucy said echoed in his mind. _Has he proposed yet?_ What fool would dare take Mirena from him? No one. "If you ladies will forgive my sudden departure...I've prior engagements I must attend to." He turned to Lucy and lifted her hand. "Lucy." He said.

He turned to Mina and repeated the gesture, pressing his lips against her knuckles in a more intimate touch, seconds longer, his eyes meeting hers. "Mina..." He murmured. He took in her appearance once more before turning away, not because it would be his last—it wouldn't—but because he needed to. He turned and left and was gone.

His eyes narrowed as he stared ahead. He'd meant what he said. Neither this life nor the next would keep them apart. Fate had torn them apart; destiny had brought them back together in this life.

If he hadn't already been damned, he'd _be_ damned before letting her slip away from him again.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note:

I want to say thank you to all the wonderful people who took the time to read this and left reviews. That alone, as much as I am enjoying writing this story, is reason enough to keep this going. I love knowing that there are others out there who are wanting to read something more from the movie. I will update as soon as possible. I write nearly every day but I can't update unless I'm in town near a WIFI or go to a family members...oh, the joy of no internet all of a sudden. If I'm slow on updating, that's why. And again, I'm still confused on the time frame I'm aiming for. But still not modern.

P.I've found a way to upload this via mobile. So if there are any or too many mistakes I will keep updating via computer. It will just take longer.

So for here and there and in between...enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Two

"Well..." Lucy said, drawing Mina's attention. "That was rather odd."

Mina nodded and craned her neck, but he was already gone. Odd was one way to put it.

"At least he made good on his goodbye. " Lucy said with a small laugh and leaned forward, resting her chin in the palm of her hand.

Mina nodded again, her eyes searching through the thin crowd. Daylight was fading, the sun sinking so that shadows slipped over the buildings and streets. The man had set himself apart from the crowd without evening trying. Even though she'd nearly ignored him upon first glance, she'd noticed him when he'd spoken. He had that effect—whatever it was. His stature called for it. Money, looks, his charms. Whatever it was...Mina sighed.

Lucy sighed again. "Where do you find men like him?"

Mina rolled her eyes at Lucy's playful banter. Her friend was obviously smitten. But she hadn't found him; Vlad had found her with his words. How did that make sense? She smiled softly at the reminder. Neither Lucy nor Jonathon shared or understood her fondness for books, or even poetry. Well, Lucy did, but in a whole different genre of books. How was she to resist his greeting when he greeted her with the one thing she held the most fondness of?

"The man made me blush. Can you believe that?" Lucy continued and held her hand out in the manner in which Vlad had first kissed her knuckles. "If he can do that, I wonder what else he can do with those lips..."

"Lucy!" Mina gasped out in a whisper, though there was no real censure in her voice. "Shush, before someone hears you." She kept her voice low, though there was no disguising the laughter in her voice.

"That got your attention." Lucy said laughing while she straightened the silverware on her right. She grinned devilishly. "What can I say? Did you see him? Don't answer that; of course you did. The man is positively sinful." She reached out a hand and curled her hand over Mina's. "You're blushing...my, oh my." She said teasingly.

"I don't blush." Mina said in a far too refined tone, barely refraining from rolling her eyes at her dear friend. Now she was just plain out lying; why was she blushing?

"Tall, sinful and handsome."

"You're obsessed, Lucy."

"Oh, the man is and you know it. Even you couldn't resist his escort."

"And what about David and poor Parker? They'll be heart broken if you turn your attentions elsewhere." Mina said in exclamation, laughing. She wondered exactly how their conversation had taken the turn of this complete stranger.

"Those two sweethearts?" Lucy waved her hand dismissively. "They are nothing but boys..."

"Have at him, he's all yours." Mina murmured.

Lucy went on and on while Mina listened, highly amused. She hid her smile behind a teacup. The man was handsome with his dark, slicked back hair and his tailored suit, his tanned skin. She didn't know him, but she had allowed him to follow her. She knew nothing about him. Even after briefly conversating with him she still knew nothing about him other than he originated from Transylvania. Transylvania of all places. Something about him had caused her hesitation, her smile and then her invitation. She sighed...

Something Lucy said caught her attention and she arched an eyebrow. "Maybe it was his accent." Now she was beginning to enjoy teasing Lucy.

Lucy leaned forward. "That, too. I could imagine his voice while he touched..."

"LUCY!" Mina whispered in a low girlish laughter. "Don't you dare finish that sentence!" She looked over her shoulder instinctively, even though she knew the other patrons were paying them no heed. God help them, were they really having this conversation? "Behave."

"You're no fun." Lucy said with a chuckle.

"My fun differs from yours." Mina murmured.

"Oh, away with your books of history and agriculture and poetry. There is fun to be had without those."

"Oh, really now? And what of your books of..." Mina replied teasingly. She couldn't bring herself to say what was on her mind. Not out loud, anyway.

"One day I will show you. You can't hold out forever."

Lucy's idea of fun was flirting and drawing in as many men as she could before pushing them away. Her lips curved. They were mismatched friends, but they got along oh so well. Lucy was carefree, out going and wild while she was subdued and took everything in much slower.

"Do tell, which one is much more preferable. Jonathon or our new found friend, Vlad."

Her red headed friend just wasn't going to give it up, was she? "We hardly know the man, Lucy. He could be a raving lunatic for all we know."

"A raving lunatic who knows proper English, etiquette and knows how to dress?" Lucy questioned.

"Point taken."

"Afraid to answer the question?"

Mina lifted her eyes to the sky in mock favor. "Hardly."

"So why has Jonathon not proposed?"

Finally, a change in subject, Mina thought. Thought not one she would have taken. Of course Lucy would take one complicated matter after another. "It's complicated." She finally said after a moment.

"What's so complicated about marriage?"

"Lucy." Mina said, the name rolling from her lips in laughter. "There is more to marriage than just a whimsical wedding dress."

"And...?"

Mina sighed and dropped her napkin onto the table. Lucy never made things easy. Sometimes she made things down right difficult. But that was Lucy.

"You've been together seven—"

"Six."

"Six years, maybe you should be the one to get down on one knee."

"We're friends, more than anything, Lucy."

"Yes, friends. He's kissed your hand, he's kissed your cheek, God knows I've caught you two in such a compromising embrace." Lucy said dramatically.

"He did the same thing." Mina said, wiggling her fingers in Lucy's direction.

"Ah, but he's a stranger, Jonathan is not." Lucy commented, her voice mimicking hers in a way Mina would have no doubt said.

"It's just something that hasn't commonly come up...Father doesn't seem to have minded. But..." But there it was. Perhaps he would. Perhaps he wouldn't. Sooner or later, most likely. "...it isn't as if we haven't spoken on the matter." She shrugged. "I've known him for so long, I'm not sure I could say yes."

"Don't be daft."

Lucy always knew how to make her laugh. Jonathan was just that. A friend. A potential lover. A Potential husband. A potential everything. Potential. Why was it so suddenly complicated? She'd rather not think on the matter. Her head lifted when Lucy stood. "Come, we'd better find our way home before your Father sends one of his goons looking for us."

"They are not 'goons'."

"Too bad our dear mysterious friend couldn't have escorted us home."

"By all means, Lucy, you are free to find him."

"If it were only that easy...he's more than likely a tourist with his accent. Just my luck that I would meet someone of his charming personality and never see him again."

"Oh, Lucy, whatever am I going to do with you?" Mina said in amusement as she tugged Lucy in the direction of home.

* * *

Hundreds of years had earned him patience. Centuries had earned him self control. He'd watched as the world had sped by, felt the change of day as it became night and granted him freedom time after time. He'd watched as everyone he knew grew in age until they were old and laid to rest. He'd watched from a distance as his son was crowned and reined a mighty kingdom before passing it to his son. He'd watched as y manufactured running vehicles and as they formed the new Cinema. It was the turn of the century.

Time had granted him self control.

Vlad didn't understand the sudden lose of control, the rage that had filtered through him in that split second at the word proposal. Disgust filled him at the thought, leaving a bitter taste as he spat the word. The beast in him raged at the thought. It was the potential proposal from another male that had him snarling. He was normally calm; nothing could push him to so near an edge.

Except for when he'd held Mirena's dead body in his arms.

Her image filled his mind, so fresh in his memory now. The smooth texture of her skin, the pale blush and her soft laughter.

The loss of control had been sudden and was due to territorial fear. No one would take Mirena from him again and the thought alone had shocked him. He tilted his head back to the starlit sky. "Mirena...Mina." He whispered her name to the darkness that welcomed him. She was here, in the present. No longer a memory.

As much as he wanted to go find her, to bury his face in her hair and wrap her in his arms, he knew he couldn't. Not yet. She didn't know him, she didn't know the horrid things he knew. They had a past. They had a future...she didn't remember. She didn't know... But she would. New memories to fill the void.

His body whispered for nourishment, for the sweet nourishing taste of blood. His fangs lengthened. He'd already fed but that didn't stop the hunger. Or maybe it was anger that was pushing him. He was calm now, but the anger was a cool sensation in his mind, reminding him. Anger for his loss of control, for only the devil knew what else.

He took a running leap forward and his body burst into a loud screech of darkness that feel apart, rushing through the trees surrounding him. The park was deserted at this time of night but he would have been surprised if it had been otherwise. He could see the city street lamps ahead, highlighting a far off street and further down into the empty streets.

The bats took hold, closing in tight to form his body from the feet down and up. The moment he heard the loud thud of a heartbeat he dropped down from the sky, his body crouching over and knocking the homeless back with a heavy thud. Vlad didn't wait, he struck without pretense, crouched over his victim as his fangs pierced deep.

Blood pooled into his mouth and his eyes rolled in the back of his head at the warm gush. He hadn't intended to be so brutal, but the rage in him was crouched to close to the surface, the beast inside of him too far. He bit down deeper, the mans cries echoing in his ears. The warm blood pulled some sort of semblance back, soothing his dark side.

With a heavy growl, he yanked his head back, his lips stained red. He rarely fed so sloppy, but at times, he was a monster. His hunger momentarily sated, he picked up the man and laid him down on one of the near by park benches, wrapping the long, weathered trench coat around the cooling body. His ravenous hunger had taken the life of another—again. Another sin on his dark soul.

He reached out and placed two fingers over the unseeing eyes. "I ask your forgiveness." He murmured, his fingers drawing the lids down.

Vlad turned, his body bursting into the whirling bats before he'd even completed the move, taking him air born.

-Your reviews mean the world to me-


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

She felt dirty just walking into the Asylum. There was no way around it. Seward Insane Asylum, she was very familiar with the name and the goings inside the towering building. Mina ducked her head beneath a low hung wooden beam, ignoring the steward who would have showed her where she needed to go. She knew where she was going.

Her father ran the place as if he lived there. Why he took the time to deal with the no doubt _criminally_ and mentally insane, she would never understand. She knew she wouldn't have had the patience. It wasn't something she considered a likelihood. More than once she had watched her father and his goons hold down someone who wasn't too keen on having their...mind set right, if that was the correct term.

Not everyone could be fixed. Then again, she knew that some of the people kept here were kept here for the protection of the people _outside._

Her father spent more time here than he did at home. She could only imagine why he took it upon himself to try and push his patients back into a form of stability. Some people couldn't be helped; sometimes she wondered how sane he was. She chuckled.

She winced and drew the white jacket in tighter around her body. The dirt and grime she could do without. The interior was dark and dank, even with the low turned lights. There were twisted pieces of metal melded to portions of the wall. Some of the things situated on shelves she still had no idea what they were.

Her heels echoed as she ventured down the familiar hallway. There were various rooms on either side, fixed with heavy iron doors that locked from the outside. She turned her head when one door swung wide. She caught sight of one of her fathers mentally deranged being dressed in a white suit before the sleeves were being pulled behind his back and tied. No, this was definitely not something she was going to take after her father in.

She turned the corner and saw the door to her fathers office open. She braced one hand against the frame and leaned into the entrance. Looking around, she paused when she didn't see him buried behind the paperwork on his desk. She didn't see him standing guard over the tons of books on the bookshelf.

"Of course not." Mina whispered to herself.

She turned and stepped back out into the hallway. Off in the distance she could hear the familiar argumentative tone of her father and his colleagues. She took off in his direction and missed how the floor blended into the first set of three-steps that led to the lower part of the floor. She stumbled and the heel of her boot tilted to the side. She reached out but her hands caught nothing but empty air.

Before she could hit the floor, Mina found herself suspended in mid air, bent backwards over a suspending arm.

Her chest moved as she sucked in a sharp breath and then exhaled with a sudden "_You."_

"And just in time, I'd say." Vlad said with a hint of a grin playing at his lips.

Oh Lord, Mina thought to herself in mortification as she stared up at the very last man she expected to see. She could feel the heat rushing into her cheeks when her fingers twisted in the folds of his shirt, when she realized he'd caught her clumsiness. That was never something to be proud of, for anyone of her acquaintance, male especially, to see.

"Thank you." Mina found herself saying a little sheepishly when his arm tightened behind her back before slowly pulling her back into a standing position. She stared up at him and then wondered... "What are you doing here?"

No 'hi, how are you', just straight down to the main question at hand, wasn't she? Vlad stared down at her questioning face, her crystal clear eyes and smiled. It was no coincidence that he was here. "Keeping you on your feet."

Mina blushed at the reminder and shifted in his arms. He didn't need to sweep her off her feet, she was quiet good at doing that herself, unfortunately.

Vlad was content to just hold her; he didn't remind her that she had yet to pull from his retrieving arms. Whatever it was that kept her in his arms, he wasn't going to argue with it. She wasn't even aware and he was taking full advantage of it. His palm flattened against the small of her back. "Looking for your father?" Vlad offered with an arched eyebrow.

Mina frowned and asked the obvious question. "How do you know my father?" If he'd been an acquaintance of her father, she would have known.

It was no coincidence that he was here. He was making a place for himself in her life, starting with her father.

Suspicion crossed her face as she stared up at him and then realization dawned. "You bought Carfax Abbey." Mina said softly.

"I did." Vlad confirmed. He'd made quick work of finding out what he'd needed. When he'd seen that her father was selling Carfax Abbey, he'd taken the man up on his offer. It wasn't a wait and sell deal. He'd paid the hefty fine for the establishment in cash without even walking through the home. He had people who could make it representable. Only Mina could turn it into a home.

"I thought you were a tourist."

"I was." Until he'd seen her.

"What made you change your mind about London?"

"The beautiful scenery."

Mina found herself blushing again at the way he said it, the way his tone lowered. He still spoke so innocently but the way he said it...everything about this man was mesmerizing. His eyes, the way he moved, his voice. It wasn't just her or Lucy, when she'd first met him, she'd seen the wayward glances others sent his way. The man drew everyone around him.

He heard her father before he saw him and when Mina saw him, she must have realized where she still stood because she pulled out of his arms hurriedly. He released her reluctantly, his hand releasing her slowly until he was no longer touching her. He looked forward to the day that he would no longer have to keep up such pretenses.

Mina straightened, her hands sliding over her sides to smooth out any wrinkles from her jacket and shirt though she knew there were none. She felt odd, though she couldn't place it. God, how long had she stood in his arms? If she'd been alone, she would have reached up to touch her hot cheeks.

_What was wrong with her? _She didn't blush.

She returned her fathers hug. "Why didn't you tell me you'd sold the Carfax place?"

"Because we only just now signed the papers, though, he's had his men moving things in since this morning. I wasn't expect you, Mina. And you've met our new neighbor I see..."

"Yes, we met prior, actually." Mina said. New neighbor, hmm?

"I was showing Mr. Vlad—"

Vlad winced. That was one title he would never acquire to. "Vlad, please."

"Well, I was showing Vlad the Seward Asylum. He was quiet interested. I was wondering where you'd gotten off to, my dear fellow. But I see you were chatting with my dear Mina. I never even saw you leave."

No, he hadn't, had he? Vlad had known the moment she had stepped into the building. Her heartbeat alone was one now familiar to his ears. His attention had been diverted between her and the ramblings of her father. Matters of how each inmate was handled, the medicine that sometimes had to be used and straight jackets to subdue.

_What was she doing in a place like THIS? _That was not something that he could allow. Being ran by her family didn't matter. There was too much going on behind these brick walls for his beautiful Mina to be considered safe.

When he'd heard her stumble, appearances be damned. Seward was hardly paying attention to him as it was. Excuses were easily made to what the human eye saw.

"Well, you did tell me to stop by if you lost track of time."

"Ah, yes...it's what, three o'clock?"

Vlad pulled out his pocket watch before Mina could respond. "It's six thirty, to be exact."

"Oh dear." Mr. Seward replied.

Vlad had the feeling that Seward was going nowhere anytime soon. The man had the look of work written all over his face. He did have a business to run, and patients to see to. Too many not in their right state of mind for him to be comfortable with Mina being in this place.

"It's time I was on my way..." Vlad said, reaching out to give Seward a firm handshake. He held his hand out to Mina. "If you will allow me, I can escort you out."

Mina sighed, but not because of Vlad's offer. She should have known her father was going to be late again. She nodded and took his hand, which he placed in the crook of his arm. He nodded towards Seward. It wasn't until they were past the threshold and outside that he openly spoke. "I take it your father works late nights."

Mina looked down at the ground as he led her down the steps. "Yes. It's gruesome at times, because he forgets engagements, dinner with Lucy and I."

"It is a very important job he does." Vlad offered in understanding. He understood Seward's need to fix what was wrong, but then again, Vlad understood that he would stop at nothing to protect the woman at his side. A place full of supposedly madmen was no place for Mina. No matter how tame Seward was making them.

"I suppose...I rarely worry about going there, only when I need to."

A 'need' to one time was one too many. How would Mina feel, if she knew exactly the extent of his thoughts? How protective, how over-bearing his feelings and emotions were? He'd always been a domineering male...seeing her again was going to make him ten-fold. There was no help for that.

Carfax Abby was right down the street and Mina could see the establishment buzzing with life in the miniature courtyard out front. Men were going back and forth, carrying large pieces of furniture, paintings and what she was assuming was luggage. "So you did buy Carfax."

"I said I did." Vlad lifted his other hand and covered her hand where it rested in the crook of his elbow as they passed the gated fence in front of his humble abode. "I would ask you to come and see the progress they've made, but we would only be in the way."

"Another time then." Mina said with a smile.

An admission on her part, because she hadn't said no. He was making his way with her. She wasn't as hesitant as she had been the day before. Vlad continued on, directing her in the way he wanted to go. He kept her talking, responding only when he had to because of one simple reason. He loved to hear her talk.

"Would you like to go to the Cinema with me?"

Mina paused in her tirade. "The Cinema?"

"Yes, the Cinema."

"You want to take me to the new Cinema?"

"I would very much love to." Vlad said with a small chuckle. She was shocked; had no one ever taken her out, much less to the new vision of Cinema?

"Now?" Mina asked, the excitement and confusion coming through in her voice even though she tried to hide it.

"When else?"

Her fingers tightened over his arm. "Really?" She had never been to one of the new Cinema's here in London, but she had heard the view from the screen was magnificent. Again, she should have said no but she couldn't...she wanted to say yes. Her smile was brilliant when she exclaimed, "I'd love to."

He gave a soft laugh at her excitement. Was that all it took to make her happy? But he had so much more in plan for her. She was innocent compared to him, light to his darkness. She would have been drawn to him no matter what he wanted because of _what_ he was. But because he wanted, there was going to be so much more. He'd made her fall for him once before, he was going to do it again.

Looking down at her...Vlad knew seduction was going to have a whole new meaning.


	4. Chapter 4

:Authors Note:

Sorry for the long wait on the update. I sometimes don't have the time to write when I want to write and when I want to write, I have no alone time. Kind of hard to write when two boys, a 7 and 4 year old are just crazy as can be. But I'm managing.

I had a reviewer who asked why Dracula had bought the Asylum. He didn't buy the Asylum, he bought Carfax Abbey. He was in the Asylum to get closer to Mina's Father to in turn get closer to her. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Not to mention sometimes I have writers block and just don't know what to write to get the story where I want it to be. I know how I want it to end, and I already have certain parts planned, but its just the part of 'getting there' that is sometimes not wanting to cooperate. Ya feelin' me? Would anyone like to help me out on the color of Dracula's eyes? Hazel? Dark brown? Nearly black?

Anyways, thank you all for the wonderful reviews!

Chapter Four

Mina stared up at the canopy of her bed. What had possessed her that she enjoyed being in his company? She didn't know him; she didn't know his last name. She had enjoyed Vlad's company that even now she harbored a lazy smile. What was it about him that made it so easy to talk, to be easy in his company?

From the moment that the overhead lights had left them in darkness, to the moment she had laughed behind her hand and to the very end of the credits. The Cinema was the experience that he had said it would be.

She felt like blushing because God help her, the man was tempting and she wanted to be in his company. His eyes were like looking into twin pools of darkness.

Mina sighed. How could she like a man whose last name she didn't even know? God, now she liked him?

Afterward, he'd talked her into a late night dinner where she'd watched him pick at his food. He'd escorted her home, she'd laughed and blushed when he kissed her knuckles. It was so unusual but charming at the same time. She'd actually expected him to ask her out again, but he'd bid her goodnight...and that was that. Why she'd felt disappointed, she didn't know. Had she been expecting him to?

She groaned and rolled onto her side, pulling a pillow to her chest. What was she thinking...

Sunlight flooded the room, momentarily blinding her. Mina lifted a hand to the startling sensation as she came to, wondering who the bloody hell was shining a lamp through her window in the middle of the night... "Lucy, what in Gods name are you doing?" Mina said finally, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Waking you up, silly. You've slept half the day away. You weren't even home when I came in last night." Lucy perched beside Mina's side and she heard something clink on the bedside table.

"What time is it?" Mina murmured groggily. She highly doubted it was as late as Lucy was suggesting. Lucy over exaggerated many things. She rarely slept past eight and she rarely stayed out past dark. Last night had been a revolutionary change for once. Her lips curved.

"Two o'clock in the afternoon." Lucy said.

"WHAT?" Mina gasped out as she sat up, knocking the blankets down around her thighs.

"Yes, yes. You slept like a babe."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Mina whined out. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, walking to the window. The town below bustled with life, reminding her of how late she had slept.

"You won't believe who bought Carfax Abbey."

"Hhmm?"

"Our dear Tourist."

"Vlad. Yes, I know. We discussed that over dinner last night—"

"Oh, Mina, you didn't!" Lucy said in mock shock and dropped down onto the cushioned area in front of the window. "Tell me everything!" She said teasingly before she gave a small teasing pout. "I'm jealous."

Mina could feel a blush rising through her cheeks. She hadn't meant to blurt that out, but when Lucy had brought Vlad to the forefront, she'd blurted it out. He was on her mind, there was no denying that. She blew a strand of hair from her nose. What was she going to do with herself?

"I'm assuming those flowers are from Vlad." Lucy said casually, fighting a grin. She'd already peaked at the card and the scribbled inscription. The man was to die for.

Mina spun around at those words and low and behold, a large crystallized vase sat on the bedside table. Full of red roses. She looked from the vase and then to Lucy.

"They aren't from me, Mina, I swear." She said with a small laugh.

Mina took a step towards the roses, paused and then crossed the room. Why someone giving her roses bothered her, not in a bad way, she didn't know why. She just didn't know how to...react.

They were beautiful.

Their scent wafted up to her when she leaned down and her eyes closed automatically. She smiled sweetly and then lifted the plain white card. She flipped it over and there in masculine writing was, 'You cannot see yourself without a mirror; Look at the Beloved, He is the brightest mirror. – V'

Her eyes widened and she pressed the small card against her chest. He'd quoted Rumi again; not quiet quoted, written was more like it. None the less. Was she blushing? She reached up with one hand—why was she blushing?

"I dare say, that was rather romantic."

Yes, it was. Vlad had just made his intentions clear, whatever those intentions were. Did he have intentions? What were her intentions towards his intentions? She couldn't! She wouldn't.

* * *

Mina stared up at Carfax Abbey. The establishment was parallel of hers, well built before her time. She paused between the heavy iron gates, watching the moving men scrambling back and forth. She could see that Vlad already had people working on the lawn and in the back garden from the way people were coming to and fro. She looked up. Each arched window was darkened with curtains drawn from the inside, even though the front door was open.

Was he home?

She started up the gravel circular driveway; was she nervous? Her buttery fly stomach said yes. A few men passed her and she nodded her head in vague admission. The question rose up again. Why was she here?

She lifted the hem of her skirt as she took the first step leading up to the shaded porch and skipped the second. With the door open, she could see men and women on the inside. The interior was dim with hushed voices going over what she was assuming was design and layout plans. She paused outside the door, one hand on the door frame and peered into the dark interior.

A dark silhouette filled the doorway, starting her with his heavily accented and ghastly tone. "May I help yo..._Mirena_?"

She stared up at the man with an inquiring look, her brows furrowed as he stumbled over his words. "I'm sorry...Is Vlad here..." She looked over his shoulder and then back at his unshaven face.

"Ai _venit_ _inapoi_ _din_ _mormant_. _Mirena_."

She frowned. She didn't know what he'd just said, but she could have sworn his last word had been Mirena.

"I'm sorry, I can come back another time..." Mina said in confusion.

He crossed himself.

"_Cu_ _tine_, _Shkelgim_. _Acum_."

The man drew himself back at those hissed words and then Vlad appeared at the base of the stairwell, rolling up the long sleeves of his white shirt.

Mina could feel a nervous smile tugging at her lips at the sight as he strode towards her. He stopped short of the entrance way, the tips of his shoes just in the shadows. She could see the retreating servant beyond his shoulder.

"Mina...how wonderful to see you again." Vlad said with a smile that sent her heart beating. "You must forgive the rudeness of my old...friend." He wasn't going to explain his servants behavior. That was something Mina would never understand. He and Shkelgim would have words later—Shkelgim didn't know. He didn't understand. And he was apparently uneasy seeing the resemblance of Mirena.

"Oh...it's alright." Mina said. Why was she so happy to see him? Nervous, but happy.

Vlad had known he would see her again, but he was mildly surprised to see her come to him. His eyes dropped at the sound of her throbbing pulse, pausing on the vein that beat so frantically at the side of her neck. His tongue slid over his teeth and he felt a moments hunger stab at him. He jerked his eyes back to her face.

_Agony_ _filled_ _him_, _followed_ by the _most_ _potent_ _pleasure_ as he _struck_, his _fangs_ _burying_ _deep_. _He_ _felt_ _her_ _arch_ in his arms, her _fingers_ _digging_ into his arms. _Her_ cry of pain echoed in his _mind_. _But_ with each _pull_ of her _blood_, her life _draining_ into him, he could feel his _strength_ _returning_, a _darkness_ _forming_..._taking_ _away_ _his_ _humanity_ _as_ _he_ _took_ _hers_...

No.

He held out his hand, pausing as the sunlight threatened to dance off his fingertips. He couldn't take hers. He needed her to take his.

Mina took his hand without hesitation, the shadows from the inside covering her hand as she took his and he pulled her inside his humble abode. She wondered at the heavy curtains pulled over every window, but didn't comment on them. The main foyer was larger than she remembered. She noticed that he'd already had the floors scrubbed because they positively shined. There were large canvases propped against the wall, not yet hung and covered pieces of furniture.

"And to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" Vlad said, bringing her attention his way.

"Oh..." Mina could feel a blush rising over cheeks again. "I just wanted to...thank you for the roses."

He remembered when he'd made Mirena blush. He nearly reached out to touch her face, but held himself in check. "If you come to thank me in person for every gift, then perhaps I'll send more."

Mina found herself laughing at his teasing tone and then her gaze landed on the staircase and the green garland wrapped around the stairwell walls. "...Festive, aren't you?" She'd forgotten that the holidays were drawing near.

He chuckled, following her gaze. "Actually, the servants do what they will. But I can't have a house warming party near the holidays without cheer, now can I?"

"I suppose not." Mina agreed as he led her out past the foyer. She hadn't intended on taking a tour of his home, but here she was. It wasn't much of a tour, he just led her down a hallway that led to a set of double glass doors that opened into the garden. She looked up at the sky and the clouds that had darkened the sun as he led her out onto the paved walkway. A moment ago she could have sworn there hadn't been a cloud in sight.

"Your servant, he was speaking Romanian?" Mina asked. At least, that's what she thought it was. She wasn't sure.

"He was." Vlad acknowledged, nodding.

"He's not from London." Of that, she was sure. He was far too unkempt to be from London, for a servant, anyways. And she had never seen a man with silver studs in his ears. He looked...medieval.

"No, he's not." This was not a conversation he wanted to have, but he would not ignore her questions. He motioned towards the large green bushes ahead of them that started into the small maze of greenery. "Do you think any of the guests would approve?"

"With lights, perhaps. Otherwise they'd probably get lost."

"And will you come?"

Mina gave a small smile at the invitation, looking down at the ground. "If permitted...and you, you speak Romanian?"

"_Tu_?" Vlad asked in heavily accented Romanian, arching an eyebrow.

Mina chuckled in dismay. "Tu?"

"_Do_ _you_?" He translated, hiding his disappointment. He had actually hoped she would understand some, but no matter. All in good time.

"I'm afraid I don't. I've heard bits and pieces, but that's all."

"_Frumos_." Vlad added with a teasing smile. When she looked up at him in question, he translated. "Beautiful." And there came that blush again.

"What was your servant saying? He seemed rather...odd."

Vlad sighed and turned her back in the direction they'd come from. "Shkelgim is very...his family has been in mine for as far as I can remember." He didn't want to lie to her, so he chose his words carefully. "He is very superstitious. You should pay him little heed. He does things that even surprise myself."

Shkelgim had been in his family for years...the only one. Shkelgim was the very man who had saved him when he'd laid there after destroying so many of his friends. The men and women he'd turned. Shkelgim was only alive because Vlad had give him blood through out the years, just enough to sustain his life, but to leave him human. He had been and was a faithful servant.

His reaction to Mina had been...fear. Shock. He'd been afraid because he had witnessed Mirena's death at Vlads hands. She hadn't been turned—she'd died.

"As they say... _Viata_ _este_ o _Bravul_ _aventura_." Vlad said, chuckling.

Mina looked up again, amused but exasperated that she didn't know what he was saying. "What?"

"Life is a daring adventure, _dragoste_." Vlad said, his eyes moving over her face as he added in the last word.

"And what is that?" Mina said with a small laugh.

"Perhaps another time." Another time that would give him more time with her. He was making sure of it.

"Only if you will teach me a few words?" Mina threw the offer in innocently and was rewarded with his laugh when he lifted her hand to his lips.

"Only if you will come to this house warming party that my servants see fit I have?"

"I suppose..." Mina murmured in delight. "...but I must be going. I just...wanted to thank you for the flowers."

"And you have done so, much to my delight."

There came that shy smile again. He didn't let go of her arm until she had reached the front door. Only then did he bring her hand to his lips again. "_Pana_ _data_ _viitoare_, _Mina_."

Mina smiled helplessly again. She didn't know what he'd said, but she did understand Mina.

_Until_ _next_ _time_, _Mina_.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note:

I'm sorry if there are any format errors. Uploading it via mobile can be difficult.

Chapter Five

Vlad stared at his reflection in the mirror as he looped the tie around his neck. He tilted his head back, his fingers making quick work of the silk. His eyes caught movement behind him in the mirror and Shkelgim came into view.

His ever faithful servant, he'd been there from the beginning. The Gypsy had known exactly who he was the moment he'd seen him. And still he'd chosen to remain by his side. From dusk till the moment he'd been a charred mass on the ground. He could imagine no more a faithful servant than Shkelgim. He may not always understand what Vlad did, but Vlad always had a reason. When he didn't, it didn't matter.

Someday Shkelgim would grow old and die. In time. His blood time and time again had insured Shkelgim remained at his side. But he was mortal. He could be killed.

"_Printul_ _meu._.._cum_ _ea_ _este_ in _viata_?" Shkelgim murmured the words in grave sadness.

"_Cum_ _sunt_?" Vlad questioned in turn. _How_ _am_ I? Shkelgim had asked him how Mirena was still alive...the answer to that was a simple one.

"_Printul_ _meu_..." He was almost begging for Vlad's reasoning. Vlad wasn't ignorant of his servants plea, but there was no true offering for it, either.

Printul meu. My prince.

"Ea _poate_ fi de _incredere_?" Shkelgim questioned, choosing his words carefully in place of angering Vlad. She can be trusted? He only asked the question, Vlad knew, because Mirena had died a mortal death. Not one caused by the vampire.

Vlad's eyes met Shkelgim's in the mirror. He would only allow that question once. The look on his face was answer enough. When Vlad spoke, his words were low, almost a warning. "_Ea_ _este_ ca _eu_ _sunt_ _pentru_ _tine_."

_She_ is _as_ I _am_ to you. There was no clarification needed—Shkelgim would protect Mina's life as he did Vlad's. It was a decree.

* * *

Vlad had apparently made friends, Mina noticed. Lots of them.

She was surprised at the amount of work he had put into Carfax, much less how he'd had everything finished in what little time he had left before his 'house warming'. Who invited this many people to a house warming party? How many people were here? Fifty? Eighty? More?

She was jittery. Lucy had teased her all morning about her supposed infatuation with their new neighbor. Lucy had moved on to a new beau. That was nothing new. But Mina?

"_You_ _only_ _live_ _once_, _Mina_. _Be_ _brave_ _for_ _once_, be _bold_...The man is positively sinful."

But that was Lucy, not her. She wasn't the bold one. She'd barely even kissed Jonathan, even when he'd been around. He was never around now. He was always working. She lingered on the thought. It wasn't as if Jonathan and her and ever been a couple, per-say. They had just always been...it was assumed they would get married. She sighed. If only she could be like Lucy. Life was so easy, so carefree for Lucy. For Mina it was more complex. If only...

She craned her neck, looking for Lucy. She looked for a redhead among the crowd but didn't see one. No telling where her wayward friend had wandered off to. But she couldn't help herself, her eyes looked for a dark haired stranger in the crowd. Someone who was taller than the other men, a man who was refined where others were not. Someone with dark, burning eyes...so much sorrow...so much hope...

"You came." Vlad said and she realized he was already there and her eyes were already locked with his.

She couldn't not smile. "And you owe me a lesson in Romanian."

Vlad chuckled at the reminder. There was nothing romantic about the language, nor anything distinguishing about it. It was just a rarely used language. "Ca." He said and offered her his arm.

Mina placed her arm over his, the palm of her hand resting over the back of his. "And?" She asked inquiringly. She didn't know why she was so interested in the Romanian language. She had no use for it. It was just something to do, something to pass the time and something to enjoy.

"Come." He translated.

"Ca." She echoed the word with a small laugh.

Whenever she was around him, she seemed to forget about anything else. She didn't worry about her father and his long nights and days in the Asylum. She didn't worry about Jonathan and his non-existent presence.

Carfax Abbey was as if it had never been vacated for years. The floor was polished, there were end tables at every end of the room. There was a large table at one end of the room covered in refreshments and, she noticed, the curtains were drawn so that the moonlight could fill the room among the overhead chandelier. Was that gold lining the moldings along the wall?

"Ce crezi?" He asked in amusement.

"Ce crezi?" Mina echoed his words, though her accent was off. Her attention was diverted between Vlad and their surroundings. He wasn't afraid to show off his wealth; or his servants weren't. Did he care? Probably not. "If I didn't know better, I would think you were calling me...crezi?"

Vlad paused, his lips switching before he burst into laughter. A few heads turned their way. "What do you think? I would never insult you in such a way, Mina."

"You've done a fair job. Or rather, your servants have. How do you say servants in Romanian?"

"Publici."

They were retracing their steps from before, following a lighted path down one hall. Occasionally they were stopped by guests who wanted to thank Vlad for his generosity. He was kind, never once growing annoyed, she noticed.

"I was sure your friend Lucy would accompany you tonight. You two seemed to be inseparable."

"She is here somewhere. No doubt with her new beau." Mina drew them to a halt and leaned back slightly to look behind Vlad at the room they had nearly passed. The glowing light had drawn her to a halt and looking into the room, she realized it was a towering Christmas tree lavished with decorations and candles. She broke into a smile. "Well, as I stated before, aren't you the festive one?"

Vlad didn't answer. Instead, he motioned her towards the ground balcony doors that opened into the garden. The garden was highlighted in the glow of lights strung over the bushes and the lamps surrounding the outside balcony.

"It's...frumos?" Mina said, testing out the word she hopefully remembered was right.

"Beautiful." Vlad nodded in agreement.

He lifted his hand in invitation towards the opening of the maze that was located in the center of the garden. "No one will miss us for a while. Shall we make the most of our time?" He'd rather spend his time with her than anyone else that resided inside. Not to mention, he already knew they weren't the only ones away from the seeking refuge from the crowd inside.

As he followed her inside the maze, the green bushes closing in on both sides, he could hear the hushed whispers and beating hearts of the others making use of the maze. He made sure to direct her in the opposite direction for he knew she would be terribly embarrassed if she witnessed any kind of act.

He hadn't lied when he'd first met her. He'd been true to his word when he'd said he didn't like large crowds. Buying Carfax Abbey had been an impulse. Shkelgim had suggested he do this party if he was going to remain. It was a matter of making a name for himself, a place.

Having met Mina, she was changing everything. What she had changed, he didn't know; but she had. The way she laughed, the way she spoke, everything about her whispered of Mirena.

"How do you say my name in Romanian?"

"Mina." He said with a small laugh as he directed her left.

"Mina? That's it?" She said in mock disappointment. She looked at him over her shoulder. The glow from the string lights above the tall bushes left half his face shadowed. "And how do you say Vlad?"

"Vlad." He said, hiding his amusement.

Mina sighed and rolled her eyes at that but looked down when he reached out and caught her hand.

"No, this way."

"Why?" She said as she trailed behind him. He didn't answer her, just tugged her along the darkened walkway until the path opened. The maze had led them to a dead end that circled outward. A large fountain sat in the middle, water spewing up from the spout. An empty space circled the fountain that led straight back to them.

Vlad turned so that he was facing her, his back to the fountain. He shifted his hand from hers, lowering it to her waist and drew her against him. He could feel her warm hands braced against his chest, see the questioning look on her face. He smiled. "Dance with me?"

Dance with him? "I don't dance." More than likely she'd step on his feet.

He chuckled, his fingers spreading at the small of her back as he kept her against him. "It's not that hard."

"I'm horrible at it." Mina admitted with a nervous laugh. Was he really asking her to dance? "There's no music."

"Who says we need music?" Vlad said and took a step back, drawing her with him.

Before Mina realized it, he was moving them around the fountain and the world was a dark twirling memory around them. "This is crazy." She said with a soft laugh.

"So it is."

There was something enthralling, something romantic about what he'd just done. She couldn't stop smiling as she stared up at him and her smile turned into a full laugh when he moved her backward with one arm and then twirled her in a circle beneath his before drawing her body back against his.

"Deci sa danseze dupa toate." Vlad murmured.

She was spinning and so was the world, but his face stayed in place. "What?" She murmured breathlessly.

"So you do dance after all."

They circled the fountain gracefully, her body flush against his. Her laughter filled the air, music to his ears.

_She_ _turned_ _when_ she _heard_ his _voice_ _and_ _her_ _smile_ _blossomed_. "_You're_ _back_!"

Mina frowned, her eyes moving over Vlad's face.

_She_ _squealed_, her _laughter_ _rising_ _when_ his _hands_ _settled_ _over_ her _waist_ and he _spun_ her _around_ in his _arms_.

"I _said_ I _would_ _return_." _He_ _said_, _hugging_ her _body_ _against_ his.

"_You've_ _been_ _home_ for _nearly_ as _long_ as _you_ _were_ _gone_."

Her breath lodged in her throat as Vlad smiled down at her. There was so much longing in his eyes.

"I _think_ _not_." _She_ _said,_ _wagging_ her _finger_ at her _husband_ and son.

"_Why_ _not?_" Her _husband_ _asked_.

"_Because_ _tomorrow_ is the _day_ of _our_ _risen_ _Lord_. _That's_ _Easter_."

Mina stumbled, her shoe catching over his. "I told you I would step on your feet." She said, though her words were vague, her mind centered elsewhere. Her heart thudded in her ears at the faint images, the confusion...

"I welcome the intrusion..." Vlad said, but his voice trailed off when she dropped her forehead against his shoulder. It wasn't that that caught him. It was the sound of her rapidly beating heart. It was a luring sensation, but one he ignored.

He circled the the side of her neck with his hand, his thumb smoothing over her pulse. He tilted her head back so that she was staring up at him. "What is it?" He asked, slowing them to a halt.

"I...nothing." She wasn't sure what 'nothing' was. She'd been content—happy—to just let the world go as he twirled her in his arms. But the sensation of the world spinning had brought on a familiar sensation. Hands at her waist, laughter—something seen. The images were dark and fading, but there in the back of her mind.

Vlad frowned, his thumb sweeping over the line of her jaw. "Are you alright?" When she nodded, he refrained from sighing. Her heartbeat was unsteady, but not because she was lying.

"I just...I got dizzy." Mina admitted, what else? She closed her eyes and without realizing it, turned her head to the side so that her cheek was pressed against his chest. He was a comforting embrace, one that was...natural.

"Iarta-ma." Vlad murmured. He didn't say anything, just shifted his arms so that he was holding her. Holding her. He kissed the crown of her head.

"Translation?" She asked, inhaling his earthy scent. He was bare of any of those cloying colognes.

His chuckle vibrated against her cheek. "Forgive me."

She tilted her head back so that she was still against him. "You are the most humble man I have ever met."

"I do try."

Her gaze lifted to something above his head and he tilted his head back, following the direction of hers. What he saw had his gaze lowering back to hers. His gaze dropped to her lips. He didn't need the dim string lights to see the beautiful blush taking place over her cheeks. "How are you for tradition?" He murmured.

Mina's eyes moved to the mistletoe above their heads once more before taking in the groves of his face. She wasn't naive—she knew the tradition of mistletoe. No doubt one of his servants had tied the sprig in place. Her heart skipped a beat when he lifted his hand and cupped the side of her face, his thumb making a small caress over her bottom lip.

"Tradition?" Mina found herself asking weakly. She knew he was going to answer, but she moved to speak before he did. She didn't know why said it. It definitely wasn't no. Teasing? Perhaps. Playing with fire? No doubt. "Only if you can say it in Romanian." She said and her voice came out weaker than she wanted. Reliant.

Vlad chuckled then, the sound vibrating against her chest again. Only Mina would come up with a response like that. He spread his hand at her neck and tilted her head back with his thumb. His other hand lowered to her right hip before sliding back around to her back. He dipped his head. "Traditie." He murmured and kissed her.

He hadn't planned this; but he couldn't have planned it better himself.

Her eyes slid closed when she felt the press of his lips against hers. And then it was over. She stood there for a few moments—seconds—before opening her eyes. He was staring down at her with a lazy smile on his lips.

She could feel the roaring heat in her cheeks.

He touched her cheek. "Sa roseasca atat de frumos."

"What did you say?" She asked softly.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Vlad asked with an amused smile. Did she realize that she had yet to pull out of his arms? He wasn't letting her go; she would have to be the one.

Mina paused at that. She wanted to know, but for him to ask the question, she had to wonder how bad it could possibly be. "Not really."

Vlad touched her cheek again and then brushed her hair back from her face. "You blush so pretty."

Mina groaned and buried her face against his chest in embarrassment. His arms surrounded her again as he gave a deep laugh. He was the reason for her embarrassment.

Vlad couldn't help himself. She made him so happy with the most simple of things. He tightened his arms around her; if only he could hold her like this forever, her soft body against his, her scent wrapped around his. He kissed her hair again, reveling in the feel of her in his arms.

'Be bold for once, Mina. You only live once.' Lucy's voice echoed in her mind, a remembrance of what her friend had once said. She already knew what Lucy would have done. Vlad wouldn't have had to kiss her; Lucy would have kissed him. She almost laughed. Oh, if only she were as brave as her dear friend.

The thought brought on the hesitation, the lingering want. What was happening to her? She didn't act like this. She lifted her head and did something she'd never done before.

"We're still under the mistletoe."

Something flickered in Vlad's eyes.

"How do you say 'kiss me again' in Romanian?"

Vlad stared down at her and he was silent so that for a moment she thought he wasn't going to do anything. Her fingers twisted in the folds over his white shirt. But then he spoke, drawing her up against him so that she was on her tip toes. "Saruta-din nou." And he kissed her again.

He hadn't been expecting that. Vlad knew Mirena—he knew Mina. But he hadn't been expecting that. Desire had flickered through him at those words, a dark hunger that he pushed back while staring down at her before he leaned down and took her for her word. She exhaled against his lips, a soft breath.

Mina waited breathlessly, wondering if he would, wondering if she would be taken for a fool, but he kissed her. Relief flooded her, as did a moments hesitation and something akin to want.

They stood there in the semi-darkness, his lips moving over hers. A tender caress. How could he do that to her, have her close her eyes without her even realizing it? She forced her eyes open when he lifted his head. The kiss was just as before, sweet and innocent, but more potent, lasting longer.

Vlad stared down at her, a dim hunger burning at the edge of his vision.

"Saruta-din nou." Mina said faintly into the silence surrounding them.

His eyes darkened at her words.

Vlad reached up, his fingers closing over the mistletoe above their heads. The twig snapped in his fingers and he brought the colorful twig down. Her eyes followed the movement until she could no longer see twig when he touched her cheek. She swallowed nervously, her heart pounding when that hand slid into her hair. The twig tangled itself between the strands of her hair and his palm. And for the third time that night, his lips were slanting over hers.

How could he deny her anything?

There was something so innocent in a kiss, but something so potently dangerous as well. And he did both. His lips slid over hers, soft and warm, gentle. He lifted his free hand and pressed his thumb down on her chin, forcing her lips to part. "Open." He whispered, but he didn't have to ask.

His tongue glided over her lips, a teasing touch before retreating. Mina waited helplessly, her heart pounding, waiting for that second touch. That second touch came, his tongue and lips sliding over hers and her entire world seemed to fall away.

How could he deny her anything?

He couldn't deny her this. Not what he himself wanted it just as much. Probably more so than her. And God help him, she tasted like the heaven he would never see. Something familiar, but new. His hand was moving over her again, sliding around to her hips to splay against the small of her back. His lips slanted over hers, opening. He teased her tongue into his mouth before retreating and then biting her bottom lip.

He cursed himself.

He kissed her harder, the hand with the twig tangling in her hair, fisting. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, retreating, a game between them. Lust hit him hard—it was sudden, always lying there in wait with the darkness inside of him. Following on its heels was hunger. Want. Need. He jerked himself from the temptation of her lips as he felt his incisors grow in length. His lips found the curve of her chin. He couldn't kiss her, not without her feeling the dangerous prick of his fangs.

His kiss dropped lower, further away from her lips and the temptation there. But to something far more tempting. Far more dangerous.

Mina forced her eyes open and the night sky came into view through her hazed mind. His kiss had rocked her to the core—there was nothing like it. No one had kissed her like that. Not even Jonathan. She had thought she'd known what kissing was, but she'd been wrong. Vlad was potent. Irresistible.

She gasped, sucking in much needed air when he released her lips, only to feel his lips against the line of her throat. God, how could he do that? Her heart was threatening to beat out of her chest...her eyes slid closed when she felt the wet glide of his tongue over the pulse at the base of her throat. He bit down hard enough to sting.

Her skin was soft, her scent intoxicating and Vlad knew her blood would be just as intoxicating. Temptation pulled at him. One taste. One bite. He needed that taste once more. He bit down teasingly, his fangs barely grazing her flesh. Her pulse was a loud thundering in his ears and he inhaled. He could smell the want, the pulsing need in her body. His tongue passed over her pulse again, his teeth grazing...

"Vlad..." Mina whispered at the sudden harsh groan he gave against her chest, the growl that tore up from his throat. He jerked his head up and his body away from hers so that she stumbled backwards from the sudden move. Just as suddenly, his arm was behind her back again, bringing her body up against his, but only halting her stumble.

"What's wrong?" Mina forced out, her tongue sliding over her lips. His eyes followed the move.

She took in the expression on his face; he was staring down at her through narrowed eyes, his lips set into a thin line. She paused—were his eyes glowing? "What's wrong?" She said again, her chest heaving as she struggled to steady her pounding heart.

What was wrong? If Vlad hadn't been so angry at himself, so suddenly hungry with lust pouring through his veins, he would have laughed. Everything was wrong. She was too beautiful. Her lips were swollen from his kisses. The skin where her pulse beat so frantically was bruised. How did he lose control so easily around her?

"Nothing." Vlad forced out calmly. He released her reluctantly and set her from him. "But we've been gone too long. Come." They hadn't been gone too long, but he couldn't be out here alone with her. Not if she went asking for him to kiss her. Not right now. Because he wanted too fucking much right now. He needed to feed. His fangs throbbed with the sudden need as he tugged her behind him through the twists and turns of the maze towards the entrance. He needed her gone, so he could go.

Mina didn't know what to say. Her mind was still shocked from the lip lock he'd put her in, to the sudden withdrawal. Things were moving too fast for her to catch up.

"_This_ _way?_ _Are_ _you_ _sure_ _they_ _came_ _this_ _way?_"

Mina turned her head at the sound of Lucy's voice. She didn't have to look for her, though, because the next turn that Vlad tugged her around, Lucy was there. Vlad apparently hadn't heard her chatty friend, because he halted suddenly, but he didn't release her wrist.

"Oh, Mina! There you are! We were looking for you, but my dear friend said he knew exactly where to find you. The both of you." Lucy said with a cheery smile, leaning flauntingly on the arm of the male who was escorting her. But it wasn't the stranger beside Lucy that had her attention. It was the male that had escorted her on the other side.

Her breath froze in her chest. "_Jonathan_?"

Vlad's didn't even look Jonathan's way. His attention was diverted on the man Lucy was clinging to. His fingers tightened around Mina's wrist.

The gray haired man Lucy was clinging to stepped forward and extended a hand to Mina. He flashed a brilliant white smile. "Such a...pleasure to finally meet you, my dear."

Vlad stiffened when Mina took her hand from his and placed it in the opposing mans hand. He watched as he lifted her hand and placed a kiss to her knuckles.

The very monster who had created him stood before him.

—Your reviews mean the world to me—


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note:

It means a lot to me that so many of you take the time to read this and review. Even though I know there ARE errors in my work, it's a great feeling knowing that what I write is appreciated. So, I'm sitting here, drinking coffee and writing...thank you.

* * *

Chapter Six

There was something malevolent when you came up against the one who made you. Vlad could feel it in his mind, a dark sludge that moved through him. It weighed down on him, almost wanting to push him to his knees.

A muscle in his jaw ticked.

He and this Master Vampire had many things in common. Death. Their relationship was nothing like the people from his village, the people he'd changed in a twisted sense of revenge and then had to kill. They hadn't been able to hold onto their humanity; Vlad had. That was what had made him different. He'd been stronger. But so had this Master Vampire.

He was the nightmare that people had spoken of for centuries before Vlad had become that nightmare himself and erased the Master Vampire's name from the history books. The Master Vampire may have been stuck in that cave for hundreds of years before he came along, but that hadn't made him any less a predator. No less a monster.

Vlad knew that the created had to kill the creator...because their wills pitted them against one another. Their superior nature would allow neither to control the other. It was in Vlad's blood to rule.

Memories sped through his mind and Vlad nearly snarled. The Master Vampire had warned him of the consequences of his actions. Vlad remembered the oath he'd sworn; the oath he'd broken when he'd killed his wife.

And someday, HE would call on Vlad. After he'd defeated the Turks and been healed by Shkelgim, he'd returned to the cave and found it empty. There had been the lingering scent of death that had clung to the Master Vampire like a second skin and a despairing sense of wrong.

Anger pitted through Vlad and a desperation for Mina. He was angry at himself that he'd been so caught up in Mina that he'd not been able to sense the Master Vampires presence. Vlad cursed himself because for years he'd traveled from city to city, lying low every time his maker made his presence known. It was a game between them. Cat and mouse.

He refused to be a pawn. The Master Vampires sadistic portrayal of the joy he'd felt when Vlad had killed Mirena hadn't been lost on him.

Mina's presence had distracted him from the looming danger, and now that looming danger was caressing her hand. He couldn't even bring himself to smile as he tactfully drew Mina's arm back over his and drew her back to his side. He could sense her inner turmoil, but he ignored it.

What was the bastards game?

His eyes narrowed and Vlad lowered his eyes to Lucy's neck for any telltale sign of the Master Vampire's lustful appetite but saw nothing but pale, smooth skin. For now, he thought.

"Ah...Vlad, my old friend. I was wondering when you would make yourself known."

Those words were a double standard, one that had Vlad clenching his teeth and his eyes lowering to the pro-offered hand. He took it without hesitation, clasping the other Vampires hand in a firm handshake.

"Charles." Vlad said in a clipped tone.

He wasn't going to make a scene, not with the others present. That was too much danger presented to Mina. May the God in heaven help him if he weren't already damned, but he wanted nothing more than to drag Mina away. Only Vlad knew of Charles horrid capabilities.

Mina started at that and Vlad looked down at her. She looked pale, uneasy. "You two know each other?"

"Indeed we do. Vlad and I go a long...way back." Charles said, his soulless eyes pinning Vlad with their hidden meaning of how far back.

Vlad had the mental image of baring his teeth and hissing at the bastard in front of him. "If you'll excuse us, we were just heading back." Vlad drew Mina with him and had to hold back a growl when Lucy interrupted him.

"Nonsense. We'll go with you. Jonathan has been haggling around all night looking for Mina."

Jonathan. Vlad remembered the name from his first conversation with Mina and Lucy. The man who had yet to propose to Mina. His eyes zeroed in on the male. This was all Charles, because Vlad had in no way invited either men. Territorial anger filtered through him as he stared at the human. There was only a mild interests towards Mina, but it was still interest. Which angered him even more.

Vlad took a deep breath. Mina was his. She had been in their past life and she would be in this life. She was his.

His senses tuned in to Mina's heartbeat, the way it thundered in her chest. She was uneasy. She was confused. Damn their intrusion to hell, otherwise he would have pulled her back into his arms to calm her.

What was wrong?

"Come." He said, drawing her with him while the others followed. And then Mina stumbled to the side,

her hand sweeping out against the bushes to her right. Vlad steadied her before she could do so herself, but the damage was done, even if minimal.

His nostrils flared at the small dot of blood on her thumb from the thorn bush. His lips parted and his fangs threatened to lengthen again. His eyes shot to the Master Vampire. The look on his face was concern and innocence. But his eyes were black pits. He was watching Vlad, gauging his reaction—knowing Vlad's control was minimal right now.

Vlad couldn't stop his reaction then, he lifted his lips in a silent snarl before they reached the balcony doors. And then Jonathan made himself known and looked to Vlad questioningly. "May I?"

May he? No, perhaps? Vlad wanted to spear him through like in the old days for even making the suggestion. But he released Mina to the human male, but not before delivering a farewell kiss to her knuckles.

He turned then and didn't even bother to hide the venom in his voice when he spoke. "Leave us." He directed at Lucy, his voice hypnotizing. She left without incident, trailing after Mina and Jonathan. Leaving him alone with Charles.

* * *

Mina wasn't sure what was worse, nearly getting caught in a lovers embrace or—no, there was nothing worse. Except for seeing Jonathan again after she had just been in a lovers embrace? She felt nauseated. His appearance was so sudden, it left her reeling. He'd been gone for a long time. He wrote letters occasionally, but sometimes he went months without any form of notification.

She'd known him for so long that communicating was so simple with him. It came naturally as it did with any other childhood friend.

When had she begun to think of him as a childhood friend?

She cleared her throat. "You didn't let us know you were coming back."

"It was unexpected. My travels and the business were successful enough to where I could come home."

"You look different."

He chuckled. "A healthy diet can work wonders."

She supposed. "Have you been by to see father?"

"Of course. He was so ecstatic he nearly had a heart attack."

Mina gave a small laugh at his teasing. Her father always did over react. She looked over her shoulder and saw Lucy tailing them, but she didn't see Vlad or Charles.

"What are you doing?"

"I thought Vlad and his...friend were following us in."

Jonathan picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. "Champagne?"

"No, thank you."

"Suit yourself, luv." Lucy said as she reached over Mina's shoulder and took the glass. "Jonathan, would you mind fetching us a plate of those delectable strawberries?"

Mina turned to Lucy when Jonathan left them in retrieval of the strawberries. "You don't like strawberries."

"You're blushing." Lucy said.

"What?"

"And I'm pretty sure that's a bruise on the side of your neck." Lucy continued with an arched eyebrow.

Mina gasped and clamped her palm over the side of her neck. She remembered vividly when Vlad had been bent at her neck, his lips sucking and kissing the side of her neck.

"Mina, you're blushing..." Lucy said again in observation, the look in her eyes devious.

"Not so loud." Mina whispered in a hushed voice, her eyes scanning the room. She knew no one had heard their small conversation, but none the less.

"Mina, my oh my, but you've become bad."

"No, I haven't." Oh, but she had. Bad enough to where she had asked Vlad to kiss her.

"What else did you do? Oh, you must tell me if you two—"

"You two what?" Jonathan stepped in between the two with a plate of strawberries.

"—are having dinner." Mina added in a rush, and then realized that didn't make sense. "Father is never in time for dinner, so of course, those plans were mute." True enough. What was the reason for her sudden input? This just wasn't right, none of it. She couldn't bring it upon herself to explain to Jonathan how just moments before he'd arrived, she'd been in Vlad's arms. She felt horrid about it, remorse and something else making her heart pound.

She was utterly confused about everything that had just happened.

"I'm sorry, Jonathan. Lucy and I were just about to head home..."

"We were?"

"Yes." Mina said and pulled Lucy with her towards the exit.

"Does this have anything to do with Jonathan being back, or the fact that Vlad was drooling over your neck?"

She groaned at Lucy's crude words.

"I didn't even get to tell Charles goodbye..."

"Lucy, what are you doing!" Mina whispered loudly as Lucy suddenly veered them towards the back.

"Telling our beaus goodnight."

No, no, no, Mina thought pitifully and horridly. Was Lucy trying to embarrass her? Probably with good intentions.

* * *

"What do you want?" Vlad stated the obvious. He saw no need to belittle what he really thought.

"You've made quiet a name for yourself." Charles drawled out.

That hadn't answered his question. Charles was stating the obvious. Vlad had made a name for himself when he defeated the Turks. Twice. Leaving a horror story in his wake through the centuries.

"Again, what do you want?" He said the words evenly.

Charles chuckled and if Vlad hadn't known the man, he would have thought Charles was having a mild conversation about the weather. But he knew better. There was nothing civil about the conversation they were having. Nothing civil about what was going to happen.

Charles moved then, his eyes following the path Mina and Lucy had taken. "She resembles your dead wife." He was blunt, his tone low.

Vlad stiffened at the words.

All of this centered around Mina. How, he didn't know. But it did. Was he going to use Mina against him? Over his dead body. He'd put himself in Lucy's path, which had in turn put him in Mina's path.

He was done with civilities. The Master Vampire before him was a threat to him. He didn't do well with threats. Not anymore. Not since he'd been turned. He took a step forward and then he was in front of Charles, his hand around his throat. Vlad shoved the Master Vampire back against a stone wall. "What. Do. You. Want?" He snarled the words out, his fangs peaking out.

He wasn't pleasant. He couldn't afford to be and faced with this vampire, he didn't want to be. Plain and simple.

"What makes you think I want anything? Perhaps I just came to see my...son, who has eluded me for far so long?"

Vlad could smell the lie and he tightened his hold around the vampires neck. "I won't ask again..." Before he'd finished the sentence he could already hear the females heading their way. With a silent curse Vlad released the Master Vampire and took a step back.

Charles smiled.

Why the hell would they come back? As much as he appreciated the sight of his beautiful Mina, he didn't want her here. But looking at her beautiful face now, he was not letting her go home unescorted. Without him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Vlad clenched his fingers on the railing and felt it give way. The balcony built out from his bedroom faced the Seward home, giving him a wide view. He watched with keen intent until all the lights flickered out. The breeze caressed his skin like a lovers caress as he watched, refusing to turn his back just yet.

He was fuming on the inside. With his hunger momentarily sated, there was nothing left but anger.

Mina was on the forefront of his mind. The anger was at himself for having not sensed the danger looming.

The Master Vampire had easily placed himself in his path.

A growl rumbled in his chest. He didn't need this. He didn't want it. He gave a weary sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't leave. Not this time. The Master Vampire was cunning and he knew as much as Vlad did where his past was concerned. Where Mina was, he would be. Vlad couldn't separate himself from her. His creator knew that.

He closed his eyes and his head fell back. He nearly roared out his pain and loneliness. He missed her. He feared for her. He feared for himself if he couldn't protect her. Where was his control when he kissed her? Hunger took over. Where was his century old experienced? He hung his head in despair.

"Printul meu, ea a fost si este a ta...reactia ta este ca un barbat cauta si de a gasi colega lui." Shkelgim's voice came from behind him.

My prince, she has been and is yours...your reaction is that of a male seeking and finding his mate.

Vlad nearly snickered at the words. They were so old-fashioned. But the truth in them rang clear. His control had never waned; none of the women in his past had been Mina.

He fell back in time to the very moment when Mirena had realized the truth of what he was. He remembered holding her against him, the way her hair shone in the minimal light. He had kissed her, his lips making a fine line down her throat till her pulse was beating against his lips, the vein beckoning to him...

He'd nearly lost control then, too.

Her blood had been divine.

Even the darkness in him realized that she belonged to him.

"Shkelgim...an old friend of mine has taken residence." He said, his tone low. The word 'friend' was sour on his tongue. He and his creator were anything but friends. He didn't speak in their native tongue. He preferred the more modern language. His words were simple and he didn't explain but his warning was all too clear. The velocity of the situation was dire—no matter how innocent it appeared.

"Yes, master."

Vlad sighed at the old phrase. "Shkelgim."

"Forgive me, my prince." Shkelgim corrected himself.

Vlad sighed again but didn't call Shkelgim out on his preference. It was almost an old form of endearment where his old friend was concerned. But for the upkeep of new times, he preferred Shkelgim call him by his name or nothing at all.

He was rewarded with silence and hung his head again. Shkelgim was quiet more often than not but when he wasn't, he spoke with a mute point. He said it bluntly. The gypsy had amused him on more times than one.

Life had been so much easier before he'd made his choice to let the darkness into his soul. But he couldn't dwell on that. He couldn't change the past. But he could protect his future. Mina was his here and now. He gave a silent laugh as he stared across the empty space separating them. Shkelgim had retreated back to his rooms, leave him alone with what little dark remained. Shkelgim and the sun would protect her when he couldn't.

Looking up at the sky, he knew he would have to seek shelter soon. Even damned, he had to seek rest. He turned and the night breeze brought the acrid scent of death to his nostrils. What was even more horrifyingly sweet was the pulse of blood that followed. His body tensed and he stood, frozen in time as he tilted his head back and inhaled. Fear laced blood. Horror.

He turned back towards the outline of the Seward home and the city that glared with lights. London was known for its mugging and criminals. Not for the frozen horror that haunted him in the scent of blood. He took a running leap and his body exploded outward into a mass of screeching darkness that quickly silenced as he tore across the sky.

His searching eyes instantly took in the Seward establishment and its darkened windows as he soared over its rooftop and beyond. He could think of only one thing that could lace fear in the blood stream so horrifically. What poor soul had fallen prey to the devil?

He now thought of London as his territory; Mina was in it. And he couldn't tolerate someone else killing in his territory. A human killing, perhaps, but not someone like him.

Someone like him, he thought bitterly.

He dove down, his body hidden in the shapes of bats that were both flawless and graceful as they swooped. He dropped downward, taking human form until his feet were touching pavement. The bats swarmed in behind his back until he was whole again.

And his stomach twisted when he looked up at the sign.

Seward Asylum.

His mind went on the offensive, any connection to Mina leading back to the Master Vampire. His lips thinned as he took the first step leading up to the heavy doors. He couldn't overlook that. The Master Vampire knew how much Mina meant to him...

And what better way than to get to him than through Mina?

His jaw clenched as he inhaled.

Even through the heavy locked doors the stench reached his nostrils. Death. Cold. He reached out and turned the knob. Locked. He gave a small twist of his wrist and the lock broke from the inside, the click reaching his ears. He pushed it open slowly, peering into the dim interior.

It was rustic, not meant to be a beauty parlor, but the old fashioned interior did nothing for him. His attention was focused else where. He could hear the steady thrum of heartbeats. They were calm—sleeping. Ignorant of the death that lay just beyond their padded rooms. He had to wonder where the guards were because there were none in sight.

He didn't have to look down every hall way. His keen sense of smell lead him down the hallway to the left. A sense of foreboding filled him when he turned on his heel and reached out, his hand pausing when he reached out.

They were in there. He closed his eyes and inhaled again. The blood was a thick secretion on his soul, something that he would always crave, something that he would always need no matter the situation. He gathered himself and turned the doorknob and pushed inward, holding himself in check because what he was going to see...

Seward laid like a dead weight in his seat, his head tilted back, staring sightlessly up at the ceiling. His arms hung over the arm rests and Vlad felt a muscle in his cheek tick. He could see the vibrant red stain on the neck of the white button down shirt. Small drops of blood marked one shoulder and the desk, as if the perpetrator had hurriedly left his meal. The wound wasn't neat. He'd bit down ravenously and savagely, gouging the flesh.

Charles.

A burning fury penetrated his chest and he spun on his heel.

And Lucy stared at him from across the room. The moment their eyes met and locked, her shoulders sagged and she dragged in a sharp breath. Her gaze took in Sewards slack expression, the pale color of his skin.

What in the devil was she doing here?

He heard her loudly indrawn breath, the look of sheer terror on her face when she took a step away from him. She opened her mouth and he pierced her mind with his, pushing a mental command that she silence herself. Something gave him a mental shove backwards.

She screamed.

Vlad cursed and jumped the distance separating them and clamped his hand over her mouth. He could read her thoughts clearly. She saw him standing over Seward. She thought he'd killed him. And how the hell had she pushed him out of her mind?

She hadn't. Someone else had.

His head jerked up and he looked over her shoulder. The Master Vampire stood there, watching the scene with boredom before he waved a hand. "Do be quiet."

Lucy sagged in his arms, her eyes rolling in the back of her head. He caught her in his arms before she could hit the floor. Her head lolled back. And there between her neck and shoulder were twin pin pricks. That explained why he'd been kicked out of her mind. But why was Lucy here? More importantly, why was Charles?

He'd killed Seward.

Vlad bared his teeth in warning and nearly set Lucy to the side before the Master Vampire stopped him with an upraised hand. "I didn't kill him."

"You expect me to believe that?" Vlad spat out. He had never hated the man more than he did now. No, that was a lie. He'd hated him more on the day he'd lost Mirena.

The Master Vampire arched an eyebrow. "I wouldn't peg you for a fool. You'd know if I were lying."

For once, he was right. And Vlad finally realized that. He wasn't lying. But who then? And what had he done to Lucy?

"Don't worry, Vlad. I didn't change your lovers best friend."

Vlad didn't like the way he said, the way he nearly sneered the words out. He'd made Lucy his prey and that didn't sit well with him at all. What did he think to gain by using Lucy? Vlad pushed against the boundaries of Lucy's mind but was rebounded again.

The Master Vampire laughed. "I took her blood. I gave her mine."

He bared his teeth again, unable to stop the rattling growl. "Why?" Yes, taking her blood was a simple thing. It would enable him control and ease of access to her mind even more so than without the connection of her blood... It was hard to control someone else when another Vampire had already taken root. Vlad couldn't counteract that. Not without taking her blood.

"I was hungry."

Liar.

If he hadn't done this, then who? There was no one else in the city. No one that could have committed such a heinous act. Unless they had a weird addiction of cannibalism but Vlad highly doubted that.

"Perhaps there is another in the city..."

"No." Vlad said clearly. There wasn't. There couldn't be.

"Then you tell me who else."

He didn't have an answer to that. Vlad paused and lowered Lucy carefully into one of the waiting chairs. He positioned his body between hers and Charles. If there was another vampire in the city...how cunning were they that they had slipped by him, as well as Charles? And to take a direct aim at Seward? But that could be a coincidence. "What are you doing here?" He finally asked the question plaguing his mind.

Charles tapped his fingers repeatedly on the back of the chair in front of him. "That's a good question." And then: "We have unfinished business."

Vlad reached out and trailed two fingers over Sewards eyes, closing them. "We have nothing." He wanted his death to be as minimal as possible. He didn't want Mina to see...the horror on his face.

His facial expression still hard he put a hand on the back of Sewards head and the other on his forehead and leaned him forward so that his head was face down on the desk. He started pulling open drawers until he found an empty bottle of Brandy. He smashed it on the edge of the desk and then put the end of the bottle which was broken and jagged against the side of Sewards neck...he'd had a horrid drinking accident.

He looked back over at Lucy and then picked her prone body up. "I don't know what you think you're planning, but leave her out of it." He said slowly. Lucy would be fine in a few days time. Charles had brought Lucy here. But why? Charles hadn't killed Seward and God knew Lucy hadn't. He was using Lucy as a pawn and there was another Vampire in the city he was going to see dead by his own hands.

"We do agree on one thing."

"And what is that?" Vlad said.

"Another Vampire making a kill on territory is unforgivable."

"Leave." Vlad said. He wasn't leaving until he saw that Charles was gone.

The Master Vampire chuckled darkly but his body shifted, growing transparent. "You will see my way of things soon enough."

Vlad stared until he was staring at the wall. He didn't know what Charles had meant by that but he didn't like it. He made himself invisible to preying eyes as he stepped back out into the night. His skin tightened when he looked up at the sky. Dawn was on the horizon. He sighed and took off into the air. Lucy's hair twisted around his face as he held her body against his, but it wasn't her he was thinking about. He wanted nothing more than to be there to comfort Mina when she received the news of her fathers death.

And he wanted nothing more than to send the monster to hell that had condemned her father.

The Seward Estate came into view and he dropped down onto the balcony leading into her room silently. He took a step towards the closed glass doors and then paused. He closed his eyes and sighed. With resentment he lowered her body gently down onto the stone bench and drew the silk robe tighter around her body. He couldn't take her inside. Not without being invited.

Looking up at the sky, he knew the Master Vampire would be seeking his rest and shelter from the blistering son. So he could rest easily knowing she would be safe until a servant or Mina found her. Within a few days, hopefully he could ease into her mind unhindered.

Until then...he vanished, his body sinking into a heavy fog that rolled outward. The sun was breaking when he reached the shelter of his room through the open window. He cursed when he took form, the sun burning a path across his forearm before he jerked the window shut, the curtain falling in place.

His problems were growing. The Master Vampire, Lucy, a rogue vampire and Mina.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Mina stared at the tombstone. Her eyes were swollen from the tears shed through out the night. It was unreal, staring at the stone that bore her fathers name.

It shouldn't.

She drew in a shuddering breathing.

She felt...alone.

How could he?

Her mother had died when she was young. She barely remembered the loss. But this...her father was the only parental figure she'd had and now he was gone. She didn't understand. He'd been doing so well. How could he lie to her? How could he turn back to the bottle, not knowing the consequences?

Her father was gone. Buried at her feet.

Her eyes stung but the tears wouldn't wall. She'd cried so much already.

The funeral had dissipated slowly, with everyone giving their formal apologies. All she did was nod, because she couldn't smile. She couldn't do anything else. Lucy had given up some time ago and had finally retreated. The silence was oddly...gratifying.

The sky had darkened considerably since noon, but she barely noticed the dark clouds rolling in. Thunder rumbled in the distance and she welcomed the intrusion in her hazy mind.

A shadow moved and she lifted her head as a dark umbrella covered her field of vision.

Vlad.

She drew in another shuddering breath. His expression was as sullen and silent as hers, even with the dark sunglasses he wore. He didn't look at her, just stood there holding the umbrella in his gloved hand.

A drop of rain fell, muted by the umbrella.

He barely knew her, much less her father. She didn't understand _why _he was here. But while everyone else had left...he'd remained, even if in the distance.

She looked away. "Why are you doing this?" Mina finally asked.

Vlad didn't offer his condolences. His silence was enough, because he knew words wouldn't make up for her loss. He'd experienced loss before—and words couldn't even begin to heal the pain. He wanted nothing more than to draw her into his arms and give her the reassurance that she so desperately needed.

But what assurance could he give her?

Her fathers death was based on a lie.

"Because I've lost someone." Vlad murmured. _Because I will not leave you to suffer this loss alone, Mirena. Not when it is because of me. _He refused to believe that it was merely a coincidence. Not when it was Mina, and not when it was a _vampire. _It was an attack aimed directly at him.

He was risking everything to comfort her in the only way he could at this given point in time. His skin was tight, reminding him that even with the dark boiling clouds blocking the sun, the threat was still there.

Mina pulled the black shawl tighter around her shoulders. He hadn't answered her question. She didn't know him. He didn't know her. He'd been a mere acquaintance of her father in the Reality. But it didn't change the fact that he was the only one offering her companionship right now. Lucy had left. Jonathan hadn't even remained.

"Who?" She felt compelled to ask. He was here because he'd lost someone—he knew the pain of loss? She closed her eyes. Losing a beloved parent was so much more than a loss.

"My wife."

He spoke the words so softly and reverently. Mina turned her head and lowered her eyes to the hand holding the umbrella. She couldn't see his hand because of the glove. There was no telltale sign of a ring beneath.

Her heart suddenly felt heavy. Not just because of her father, but at the way he spoke. There was angst there, something she didn't understand. "I'm sorry."

Vlad nodded. "It was a long time ago."

He had the urge to draw her into his arms. It was a centuries old need that hadn't waned over time. Instead, he held out his gloved hand.

Mina stared down at the palm he offered and then reached out and took his hand. She didn't want to leave, but she knew she couldn't stay here forever. Taking his hand made it easier to leave. She didn't have to leave alone.

Vlad shifted his hold to something less intimate, bringing her hand up over his forearm.

"Thank you." Mina said.

Vlad led her towards a motorized vehicle parked on the carb and to where Shkelgim stood waiting anxiously. He was nervous with his master out in the daylight but Vlad ignored the anxious look and passed Mina forward.

Mina settled back into the luxurious setting, noticing the thick curtains that were pulled over the windows. Vlad followed her in, taking the seat opposite of her and facing her. He knocked on the divider seperating Shkelgim from them and then the vehicle was moving forward.

Vlad removed the dark glasses finally, his eyes meeting hers. "You need never thank me for anything, Mina."

Mina looked away from his startling eyes. "I just...I don't understand. He was doing so well."

Vlad understood that all too well, and it killed him on the inside to let her continue to believe the lie of Martins death. The man hadn't taken to the liquor in months. But it was a lie that she had to believe for her sake. If she knew the truth behind his death...

Her scent rose up—tears.

His expression softened and with a flick of his wrists, he brought down the curtains over the divider, locking them in a semi darkness. He moved onto the opposite seat and beside her and then drew her into his arms. He could no longer deny the tempation to ease her pain and she didn't resist.

Mina inhaled, blinking her eyes against the tears but she couldn't stop them and they fell down her cheeks. She didn't want to cry in front of him. She didn't even see him move before he was there, wrapping his arms around her body.

"Shhh." Vlad whispered, running a hand down the back of her head and through her hair. "Everything will be alright, I swear it, Mina."

She was crying on the shirt of a man she barely even knew. It registered on Mina, but she didn't have the strength to pull herself away. His touch was comforting."I'm ruining your shirt."

"I have many shirts. I would let you ruin them all." Vlad said, smoothing the back of her hair again as she gave a sniffle against his damp shirt.

Mina didn't want to, but she gave a small watery laugh at his omission.

The anger from previous nights before came back with a vengence. The fact that Mina was crying in his arms made the matter even more dire. She was just barely back in his life and death was already willing its way into her light.

"Vengence will be swift, Mina." Vlad whispered against her hair. Martins death would not go unheeded.

"What?"

Vlad shook his head at her tearful reply.

Mina closed her eyes, wallowing in the comfort he offered. She lifted her face and was oddly grateful for the darkness the shrouded windows provided. She must look a fright with her tear stained face. She could just make out the curves of his cheekbones in the darkness and the shrouded darkness over his jaw. "I feel as if I know you."

He made her feel so at ease. She felt no qualms that she'd cried and no doubt ruined his pristine white shirt. She'd willingly went into his arms. She shouldn't feel so at ease around him, but her guard had fallen and with the circumstances, she saw no way of bringing it back up.

Vlad's face softened. "In another life, perhaps."

She could feel the vehicle slowing to a halt and pulled herself out of the loose ring of his arms. She didn't respond to his quote. The man was unbearingly charming. Everything he was doing...

The rain beat out the hum of her heart. She almost didn't want to leave. The door opened, letting in a dim light that didn't quiet reach Vlad's tall frame. She could make out his servant, but only because of the umbrella that sheltered him from the rain as he held out his hand to her in a resemblance of Vlad's.

She shook her head when Vlad made a move to get out of the opposite side. "No, no. You've done enough." He didn't need to walk her to her door. "I...thank you." She said again. He'd done more for her today than anyone else. She reached out and took Shkelgim's hand but hesitated, looking at Vlad again.

She opened her mouth and then hesitated before speaking the words on her mind. "Will I...see you again?"

Vlad reached out and took her free hand and then lifted it to his lips. His eyes locked with her sober ones. "Always." He murmured.

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